Jealous Dark
by Dissolution
Summary: An interesting and hopefully in character oneshot gauging both sides of Raven just before the Death Stinger. During all the destruction and death, Raven decides he needs a night of rest.


Disclaimer: I don't own zoids. Don't sue me.

Jealous Dark 

They came as the light was fading, the sun slowly sinking over the horizon. The large zoid that delicately trampled and demolished the town gleamed in the sunlight, howling its pleasure into the smoky air. People streamed in all directions, their eyes wide with fear in pale faces that were lit by the flickering flames. They had to go; they had to get out. There was no Guardian Force to stop the Genobreaker, no one to halt its rampage.

"Pathetic," Raven whispered inside the cockpit, washed-out purple eyes narrowed as he stared down at the people fleeing for their lives. "None of them deserve to live. What do they get by running? A few day's grace before dying of thirst in the desert. A quick death is what I'd prefer."

A small growl from outside the zoid made its pilot look up, at a black organoid that hovered above the Genobreaker's head.

"Shadow," the maverick said patiently, still looking at the dragon-shaped zoid, "If you have nothing intelligent to contribute, then don't bother to talk."

A short growl, followed by two barks, interrupted Raven, making him frown.

"True, I don't relish sleeping in the desert if there's survivors out there. Very well, a night in town it will be." He grinned, his eyes already searching the ground for a suitable abode. "It might even do me good."

The room was dark and smoky, but that didn't stop me from trying to crawl my way towards the door. Raven was coming, I knew that much at least. And I had to get out before he got there. I could hear the zoid coming closer, closer, it's metallic steps almost muted by the buildings it was crushing on the way. Straining for breath, I dragged myself across the floor, staring at the door. Just a few more feet…

The steps stopped, the last crunch of the zoid's stride sounding right outside the door. Stopping dead, I strained to hear sounds, anything that would tell me what was going on in the outside world. The soft sound of a cockpit opening and feet hitting the ground told me too much. Stifling a cry, I began to backpedal wildly, hands and feet scrabbling against the wooden floors. He couldn't be here, he couldn't be right outside.

"Stop being stubborn, Shadow, this is fine. It's only for one night."

He was here, he was right outside. I turned and fled, diving into the closet and closing it shut just as the door squeaked open. Staring out the wooden slats in the door, I saw a taller youth with shaggy black hair that drifted down to his metal-covered shoulders stick his head in the door. Slanted, washed-out purple eyes looked around appraisingly, his red warrior's mark standing out vividly against the pale skin.

"This place is a piece of shit," he muttered, "But it'll do. Shadow, stop whining and get in here!"

The large black organoid that clanked in behind the pilot made my eyes widen even more, gleaming in the heavy darkness. The pale blue eyes that shone out of the jet-black head glinted with intelligence as it swung its head around the room, assessing it the same way its master had done.

"This place better have running water," Raven was muttering as he peeled off his dusty shirt. "I'm sick of– Shadow, what's the matter?"

I knew what was the matter. Somehow, it must have sensed me. I clamped my hand over my mouth and tried to slip behind the heavy, dusty coats that hung there, smelling slightly of perfume and mothballs. I could still see through the wooden slits, Raven's head coming up sharply as the organoid rumbled under its breath. Somehow, a knife appeared in his hand as he slowly stalked forward.

"Come out," he growled, his eyes darting right and left. "I know someone's here. Shadow knows someone's here. Come out before you get hurt."

Seeing as I was already marked for death, I stayed where I was, watching the youth get closer and closer. Five feet… three feet… one foot…

His hand darted out to the knob and flung the door open, exposing me as he loomed in the doorway. I clamped down on a shriek, staring up at him, the knife so obvious in one hand. A look of contempt crossed his face as he stared back and I could guess what he was thinking. After all, a sooty face and hands, along with a tangled mane of hair and dirty clothes don't make the best impression.

"So," he said disgustedly, "You're Shadow's intruder. Some threat."

He reached down and hauled me up, my world spinning as he whirled and threw me into a wall, one hand encircling my throat and pinning me where I was. I swallowed, feeling the rough edges of his scarred palm rasping against my throat.

"Who are you?" he asked casually, as if we had just met in the street.

"Nikka," I managed to get out around the constricted airway. "My name is Nikka."

"Well, Nikka," he sneered, the motion twisting his face hatefully, "Today's your lucky day. You see–"

The organoid, Shadow, interrupted him with a series of soft growls and gravelly purrs. Raven seemed to listen intently, scowling near the end.

"That's Reese's idea of fun," he snapped at Shadow. "Not mine."

Another set of rasping noises issued from the organoid, stealing the scowl away from the maverick's face and replacing it with a thoughtful frown. Turning to me again, he studied my face as I tried not to cringe under his gaze. The frown faded with an annoyed sigh as he let go of my throat, letting me go from the tiptoe position as I massaged my neck where he had grasped it.

"All right," he barked at Shadow, "I'll do it. Don't go gloating."

He turned his lightly poisonous gaze towards me again, eyeing me up and down. I drew myself up to my full height (which wasn't much) and stared back, albeit not as fiercely as I might have.

"I suppose this isn't your lucky day, Nikka," he said abruptly. "You're not going to die today. But you might wish it."

A heavy hand clamped down on the back of my neck and pushed me forward, steering me towards the darkened hall. At each room, he peered into the doorway, shaking his head and muttering at each one until he reached the second to last on the right side.

"Here," he said, shoving me into the room. The only light came from a window high up, and so small I doubt that I could have fit a large book through it. "Stay here, and don't try to leave. Shadow's on the lookout and you wouldn't want to be caught by myself or my organoid."

He reached around the doorway and rattled the knob on my side, the circular metal coming off with a sharp snap. He nodded, satisfied, and then slammed the door shut. I could hear the lock click into place from the other side as I was left alone in a dark house with one of the world's most wanted men.

There was running water, to my surprise, as I found in the bathroom off the small bedroom I was in. I washed my face and hair, cleaned myself up a little. Perhaps now I could… No. I was going to die anyway.

It was about five hours, I suppose, before the lock retreated back into the door and it swung open, revealing Raven with a bowl in his hands. His hair, still the slightest bit damp, was beaded with the tiniest of silver drops from the steam that wafted up from the bowl. I noticed this quite clearly before lifting my eyes to stare into the pale face. It looked amused.

"Don't look so worried," he replied in answer to my look, his boots muted on the carpet by the bed I was huddled on. "I'm not going to kill you now."

He shoved the bowl into my hands, along with a wooden spoon. I stared down at the steaming concoction, then looked back up at him. He must have seen the question in my eyes, because he answered my thoughts.

"I don't want you to die now," he explained, a smirk brushing his lips. "I haven't gotten any information from you, have I?"

So. That was it. Information. I bent my head towards the food, dipping the spoon into the soup slowly. A soft hiss through gritted teeth escaped him, and before I knew it, his hand had grabbed my chin and forced my head up so that he stared into my face, only a couple inches away from his own.

"You look familiar," he murmured, a frown appearing on the pale face as those strange eyes searched mine. "Where have I seen you before?"

With a squeaky sigh, the door opened a few more inches, a large sound in the silence. It could have been the wind, but Raven was up and whirling as the small woman stepped through the doorway, the smile of contempt clear on her face.

"I wasn't aware that you had the habit of taking prisoners, Raven. Or did she throw herself at your handsome feet and beg to be taken?"

The man ignored that, waving a hand as if brushing the thought away. I couldn't see his face, but from the way his shoulders squared, and his voice dropped, I could tell this wasn't a welcome visitor.

"What are you doing here, Reese?"

"Just checking up on Hiltz's protégé." She glanced at me, the green eyes dismissive. "She's a pretty thing, I suppose. Do you like them small and vulnerable?"

He ignored that too.

"Protégé?" the pilot growled. "Is that what Hiltz calls me?"

"Among other things. I have news."

"So do I." A glance was cast over his shoulder towards me, so quickly I wasn't even sure of what I had seen. "Perhaps we could do this outside."

"Agreed." They moved towards the door, the woman, Reese, smiling slightly as she gave me one last look before they were out of the room, all as it had been before. With one difference. The door was left open. The gap was small, but it was there, a crack of light shining into my dark cell.

Immediately, I scrambled off the bed, but then hesitated. Perhaps this was a trap? I listened, but the jumble of quiet voices had moved down the hall, only gentle echoes coming back to me. Perhaps not. Perhaps it was time to move.

I tiptoed to the door, peering out of the sliver of space. Nothing was there. Pressing towards the doorjamb, I opened it another inch, praying that it wouldn't squeak too loudly. It murmured its displeasure slightly, but opened without any resistance. There were no shadows from the entryway, where the light was coming from, so I could almost safely assume that they had moved into the living room off the entryway. Good. I crept into the hallway, turning right, away from the entryway and towards where I knew the backdoor lay. The quiet voices continued, so away I went, inching down the hall. I could see the exit, so close to my touch. But something down there moved. Something large, and metallic.

I couldn't help a gasp of surprise as a blue organoid moved into my darkness-weakened vision, almost a head taller than Raven's black organoid Shadow. This one peered at me almost curiously, green eyes shining in the long face. Apparently, it decided that I was intruder, because it raised its muzzle and growled hoarsely, causing the murmurs from around the corner to stop, and swung its long tail in my direction. I ducked and took a couple steps backwards, trapped by the narrow corridor that had seemed so wonderful just a second ago. Now it seemed a snare as the organoid snarled at me and came after me, each swing of the tail leaving a long hole in the wall. I could hear footsteps coming into the hallway, but I was too preoccupied by the thing in front of me to care.

"Specula!" Raven's surprised voice called out. "Reese, call off your organoid."

"Why should I?" came Reese's lazy voice. "She was trying to escape. Are you saying she shouldn't be taught a lesson?"

"I can't talk to her if Specula takes her head from her shoulders."

"Well, she won't." To my astonishment, the blue haired woman sounded almost sulky. "She's smarter than that."

_Organoids can be shes_? I thought hazily, but was distracted as Specula finally made contact, the flexible limb hitting my unprepared midsection. I was almost wrapped around the tail for a second before it flung me down the hall, the doors going by in a confused blur before I hit the end wall with a large groan. Stars burst in front of my vision as my head snapped back, the wall denting on impact as Reese laughed in the background.

"She won't try to escape again. Aren't you going to say thank you, Raven?"

My vision had cleared enough that I could see the dim form of Raven, staring at me with no expression on his face, something that made me almost shudder.

"Reese, you bitch."

His casual backhanded slap caught her by surprise, sending the petit woman staggering back a few steps. The blue organoid growled menacingly and took a step forward, but the pilot simply sent it a look that made it stop in its tracks. Footsteps made their way over to me, Raven's face appearing in my still foggy sight. Strong arms, surprisingly gentle, lifted me up easily as he turned again to Reese.

"I wouldn't have cared if she escaped anyway. I could have gotten the information from someone else."

He left her glaring at him, and stepped softly along down the hall, totally ignoring Specula as we passed her. Coming to the room I was locked in earlier, he kicked it open without ceremony, crossing the room in a few long strides to set me down on the bed. The look he gave me was bland, simply something to assess my state, before he turned silently and went back out the door, which closed gently behind him. Still groggy and uncertain, I struggled to wait to see if he would come back, if Specula would come back, but the interminable wait was too much for my tired senses as I drifted into an uneasy slumber.

The sun was shining weakly through the small window when I finally opened my eyes to the day. The room was still, quiet; it could have been peaceful if I hadn't memories of the night before. Quickly suppressing a shudder, I swung my feet over to the edge of the bed and peered at the doorway. With a jolt of surprise, I realized it was open, this time all the way, gaping invitingly as it beckoned me closer. Not one to resist the temptation of freedom, I padded through it and down the hallway, headed towards the entrance, curiously free from fear. Only a soft puzzlement remained, the dim question of why Raven would allow such hope sitting quietly in the corner of my mind. It blew away quickly when I saw the front door open, the twin footprints of where the Genobreaker had spent the night drawing my gaze instantly. Drifting to the open doorway, I leaned against it, still staring at the footprints. He had left, so quietly, without a single word to me. Perhaps it was just as well. I don't know what would have happened if he had talked to me again.

A voice, raised and almost frantic, drew my attention. A solitary figure waved to me, the dark face breaking to reveal white teeth, so obviously relieved to see me. I looked around, noticing for the first time people among the rubble, the townspeople back to see to the mess that the marauder had left in his wake. I shook my head slowly as the figure picked it's way towards me, staring down at the two sets of footprints in the dirt, a man's and an organoid's. He let me live. That was a fact in itself that made me wonder if all the stories about him were true. Perhaps there was a small portion of him left that was still the innocent, shy little boy I had known so well as a friend and playmate. Perhaps there was still some hope for this shrewd-eyed, cold-hearted killer that had recognized me last night from fifteen years ago.


End file.
